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Jessica Rosenworcel

Commissioner

Federal Communications Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel believes that the future belongs to the connected. She works to promote greater opportunity, accessibility, and affordability in our communications services in order to ensure that all Americans get a fair shot at 21st century success. She believes strong communications markets can foster economic growth and security, enhance digital age opportunity, and enrich our civic life.

From fighting to protect net neutrality to ensuring access to the internet for students caught in the Homework Gap, Jessica has been a consistent champion for connecting all. She is a leader in spectrum policy, developing new ways to support wireless services from Wi-Fi to video and the internet of things. She also is responsible for developing policies to help expand the reach of broadband to schools, libraries, hospitals, and households across the country.

Named as one of POLITICO's 50 Politicos to Watch and profiled by InStyle Magazine in a series celebrating "women who show up, speak up and get things done," Jessica brings over two decades of communications policy experience and public service to the FCC. Prior to joining the agency, she served as Senior Communications Counsel for the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, under the leadership of Senator John D. Rockefeller IV and Senator Daniel Inouye. Before entering public service, Jessica practiced communications law in Washington, DC.

She is a native of Hartford, Connecticut. She is a graduate of Wesleyan University and New York University School of Law. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband Mark, and children Caroline and Emmett.

Travis Litman

Chief of Staff and Senior Legal Advisor, Wireline and Public Safety

Travis Litman is a Commission veteran, who returns to the office after previously serving as Commissioner Rosenworcel's Senior Legal Advisor for wireline and consumer issues. Travis has held a variety of roles in the agency's Wireline Competition Bureau, including as Assistant Chief of the Telecommunications Access Policy Division. He also has served as Counsel to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, where he provided assistance to the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet. Before entering public service, Travis practiced communications law at Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP and Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP. He is a graduate of Lewis & Clark College and the University of Colorado School of Law.

Kate Black

Policy Advisor, Media

Kate Black joins the office from EMILY's List, where she most recently served as Chief of Staff. In this role she was responsible for strategic support for its president and for helping to implement and manage EMILY's List goals and initiatives. In her role she worked to elect women up and down the ballot and from across the country. Previously, Kate served as the Vice President of Research for EMILY's List, where she was responsible for regulatory and legislative policies regarding key issues facing American families and the economy. While in this role, she also served as Executive Director of American Women, where she led the organization's polling, messaging, and policy development, with a special focus on media consumption and the impact of new technologies on the economy. Kate has held a variety of other policy and research positions at a diverse group of organizations, including the Democratic National Committee, the Service Employees International Union, and Hillary Clinton for President. She is the co-author, with June Diane Raphael, of "Represent: The Woman's Guide to Running for Office and Changing the World," scheduled to be published by Workman Publishing in 2019. She is a graduate of Miami University and holds a Master of Arts from George Washington University. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband, Sam and their son, Charlie.

Umair Javed

Legal Advisor, Wireless and International

Umair Javed serves Commissioner Rosenworcel as legal advisor for wireless and international issues. Mr. Javed joins the Commission from Wiley Rein LLP, where he was an associate in the firm’s Telecom, Media, and Technology group. At Wiley Rein, Mr. Javed provided legal counsel and strategic advice to a broad cross-section of clients on domestic and international telecommunications regulation, spectrum policy, and global Internet governance. He also has served on U.S. delegations to conferences and meetings of the International Telecommunication Union, including the 2016 World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly and the 2017 World Telecommunication Development Conference. Mr. Javed currently serves as Commissioner of the Consumer Protection Commission of Fairfax County and previously was a firefighter and EMT-B in Albemarle County, Virginia. He holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia as well as a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Jessica Martinez

Special Advisor and Confidential Assistant

Jessica Martinez joins Commissioner Rosenworcel’s office from the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Democratic Staff, where she served as the Outreach and Member Services Coordinator. Ms. Martinez also served as the Communications Director for the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association. Before her time on Capitol Hill, Ms. Martinez served as an Associate with a DC strategic firm, focusing on children’s healthcare policy issues. Her prior experience also includes time as a fellow with Progressive Congress, an internship with the Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee, and the Latino Outreach Coordinator for the Utah State Democratic Party. She holds a B.A. from the University of Utah.

Aurelle Porter

Staff Assistant

Ms. Porter has worked at the Federal Communications Commission since 2006. Most recently, she served as Special Assistant in the Office of Legislative Affairs. She also worked as a Staff Assistant to former FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin.

Today’s Wi-Fi spectrum bands are wildly popular. But with more and more people and devices...

Broadband Conversations

Dedicated to amplifying the voices of women who are making a difference in our digital lives.

Broadband Conversations is dedicated to highlighting women who are making an impact on our digital lives. Each episode, Federal Communications Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel will talk to women who are breaking new ground and forging new paths in technology, media, and innovation about what they're working on, what's on their minds, what they think is the next for the future. Because there are just too few, it's time to amplify these women's voices.

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Episodes

In 2016, NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins spent 115 days in space—or as she would say, 115 days "off planet." On this episode of Broadband Conversations, listeners will get to hear Rubins, a biologist by training, describe life on the International Space Station and the process of re-entering life back on Earth. As a NASA astronaut, Rubin's shares how she went from a little girl with a dream to be among the stars to the reality of spending nearly 13 hours of spacewalk time.

The very first live episode of Broadband Conversations focuses on the intersection of women, entrepreneurship, and technology. On this episode, Commissioner Rosenworcel sat down with a live audience and Congresswomen Davids and Finkenauer, two women who are breaking barriers and getting things done on the Small Business Committee, to discuss how women can and should build the next big thing online or open a store on Main Street. Listeners will hear the Congresswomen and the Commissioner cover a lot of ground in this episode, including how women need reliable broadband and access to capital necessary to start businesses and how things like student loan debt can hold female entrepreneurs back.

Minnesota Senator Tina Smith is a community organizer, entrepreneur, and a policymaker. In this episode of Broadband Conversations, listeners will hear her describe her path to the US Senate, which started as a community volunteer when she knocked on doors with her two children and a stroller in tow. She went on to serving in local government, including a stint as Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota, before her current role on Capitol Hill. As a US Senator, she's used her platform to fight for universal, affordable broadband coverage. As Senator Smith says in the episode, we should not take internet access for granted. She points out that when hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans do not have online access to jobs, education, and economic growth, families and communities are left behind.

Did you know Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey was also a professional basketball player? Learn about her history as a point guard, her work protecting consumers, and why she joined the fight to protect net neutrality in this episode of Broadband Conversations.

Sarah McBride is an author, an activist, and one of the most visible voices for trans equality. She's made history, too. She was the first openly transgender woman to serve as an intern at the White House and the first openly transgender person to address a major party convention. Sarah's conversation with Commissioner Rosenworcel focuses on the importance of internet connectivity for all and how it can be a lifeline for the LGBTQ community.

"Making the improbable possible." "Beat the odds." These are just a few of the quotes you'll hear from this episode of Broadband Conversations, featuring San Jose, California Chief Innovation Officer Shireen Santosham. From her parents' upbringing to her childhood to her career working on behalf of her community, listeners will be inspired by Santosham's personal story and commitment to digital equity.

California Congresswoman Norma Torres is the only former 911 dispatcher in Congress. She joined Commissioner Rosenworcel to share how one 911 call led her to activism and what Washington can do to give 911 operators the tools and respect they deserve to better serve their communities.

Victoria Espinel, an expert on the intersection of technology, innovation, and public policy joined Commissioner Rosenworcel for an in-depth discussion about her career as a lawyer, professor, and trade negotiator. She also discussed her time as President Obama's advisor on intellectual property, and her work at the helm of BSA | The Software Alliance. On the podcast, listeners will hear Commissioner Rosenworcel and Ms. Espinel discuss the growing impact of software on our civic and commercial lives, how we can build unbiased artificial intelligence, and what the future looks like for the use and deployment of AI.

Cecilia Munoz, Vice President of Public Interest Technology and Local Initiatives at New America Foundation, joined Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel for a conversation about her career as an advocate for change and how we can open government to new ideas and new technologies.

In this episode of Broadband Conversations, Commissioner Rosenworcel chats with Congresswoman Yvette Clarke. Commissioner Rosenworcel and Congresswoman Clarke discuss the importance of public service as well as the Congresswoman's work on broadband, diversity in media, and efforts to promote opportunities for girls and women of color.